UK football fan streak a hot pursuit

By Mark Story / mstory@herald-leader.com

Janet Worne | Staff file photo

Jim Brown is not only locally famous for his devotion to UK football, his World War II experiences as navigator with the Army Air Corps was featured on a documentary about the Burma Bridge Busters.

After University of Kentucky football super fan Jim Brown saw his consecutive home games attended streak end at 412 when he missed the Alabama game, a Kentucky backer named Dale Dodson contacted the Herald-Leader wondering if his streak of seeing every home game since 1976 (213 games going into the Louisiana-Monroe contest) was now the longest.

As I expected, the column I wrote on the subject brought out quite a few people who say they have long streaks of UK home football games attended.

Here are their stories, excerpted from my blog, Read Mark Story's E-mail, on Kentucky.com:

Roger Gover, Somerset: I read your story in Sunday's paper regarding Dale Dodson attending every home football game since the beginning of the 1976 season. Just want to let you know that I have attended every home game since the beginning of the 1974 season.

Mark's reply: If you've got every home game since 1974, you've got Dale beat. However, I've heard from fans who say they have seen every home game since the 1960s.

Jack Avery, Prospect: I've never made much of a big deal out of it but I've seen every game ever played at Commonwealth Stadium since it was built in 1973. There were two that I had to watch on TV, once vs Georgia, when recovering from a herniated disc, and the seven-overtime Arkansas game when I broke my foot the day before. Had they not been televised, neither issue would have kept me from being able to attend.

Sadly, it means I've seen more than my share of bad football. (I have one trait that, believe me, has "endeared me" to my companions: I won't leave early, if the team is losing — not ever! It insults the kids that are, at least, trying their best.)

It means that I get very angry with anybody that criticizes anything that Rich Brooks does. If you'd sat next to me these last 40-odd years and you see what the program is today — good, competitive and class personified — you'd understand.

Mark's reply: I think, technically, to claim a streak, you have to be in the stadium for each game. Jim Brown watched the Alabama game that he didn't go to on TV. But, Jack, you've certainly seen a lot of Kentucky football and sound like a good fan.

C.T. Britton III, Campbellsville: I must say that Jim Brown has established an amazing record of attending every home game since the start of the 1945 season. Mr. Dodson's record of games since 1976 is also to be admired. I hate to hex myself, but I have attended every home game since 1965. I know exactly what Mr. Dodson means when he says "it's tough" working around weddings, funerals, sickness and other factors that could alter your planned activities.

Mark's reply: C.T., at 1965, you may be the leader in the clubhouse for longest current streak.